Cryptococcosis, a potentially fatal fungal disease, has primarily been observed in immune-compromised individuals and mainly associated with Cryptococcus neoformans infection. It is now recognized that Cryptococcus gattii, once considered to be a variety of the Cryptococcus neoformans complex, is also capable of causing serious disease in immunocompetent individuals and animals [1,2]. C. gattii has been associated with a number of tree species in tropical and subtropical regions [3]. More recently, C. gattii caused an outbreak that began in 1999 on Vancouver Island, British Columbia and has spread to mainland Canada and the US Pacific Northwest [4]. This outbreak is unique in that it marked the identification of a Cryptococcus species in a new climatic region (from tropical to temperate), habitat (from tropical trees to temperate; e.g., Douglas Fir) and host disease (from primary neurologic to primary pulmonary) [3,5].
Recent epidemiological studies of C. gattii in North America provide insight into the organism's geographical expansion as well as the distribution of molecular genotypes [6-9]. C. gattii has been classically classified into four molecular types by MLST/AFLP, VGI/AFLP4, VGII/AFLP6, VGIII/AFLP5, VGIV/AFLP7 [3,5], with additional molecular types recently identified [10]. Interestingly, molecular types have been associated with significant differences in disease type [3,5], antifungal susceptibilities [3,5,10], and severity and outcome [3,5].
Contemporary methods for genotyping C. gattii are PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), multilocus microsatellite typing (MLMT), multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and most recent, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) [11-14]. High resolution melting (HRM) is a method that has been used to identify the Cryptococcus neoformans-Cryptococcus gattii complex, though it has not been employed for genotyping within either species [15]. PCR-RFLP and AFLP require extensive lab work involving restriction enzyme digestion and gel electrophoresis [11]. Results are based on interpretation of gel electrophoresis profiles and as such, are not readily transferred or analyzed between laboratories. MLST, which requires DNA sequencing of seven housekeeping genes, is the preferred genotyping method for C. gattii and is easily transferable between laboratories [16]. MLMT allows for finer genotype resolution than MLST and has high reproducibility between laboratories [14]. In some laboratories, real-time PCR is a preferable option to methods involving DNA sequencing (MLMT and MLST), which require either out-sourcing to a sequencing capable laboratory or investment in, and the maintenance of, an in-house instrument. Although MALDI-TOF MS shows promise as a new genotyping method, instrumentation is expensive and thus prohibitive for many public health laboratories. Conversely, real-time PCR instruments are becoming ubiquitous, easily maintained, and the use of unlabeled primers and no probe makes reagents inexpensive [17]. Therefore, real-time PCR is an accessible and increasing popular technology for widespread molecular epidemiological efforts.
Given these concerns and motivations, there is a demonstrated need in the art for a panel of real-time PCR assays, based on mismatch amplification mutation assay (MAMA) methodology, for rapid and sensitive molecular detection and/or genotyping of Cryptococcus gattii molecular types (VGI-VGIV) and the dominant North American VGII subtypes (VGIIa-c) [18,19]. MAMA, a form of allele-specific PCR (ASPCR), employs primers that are designed for SNP genotyping.